Tips & Advice

For the perfect Weddings Photos:

When taking wedding pictures there are a few locations that lend themselves to beautiful shots. For outdoor pictures, the south side of the chapel has wonderful possibilities. On the north side of the chapel you will find the Hope anchor, which is a must for Hope alumni. For indoor photographs consider taking a picture on the diagonal of the sanctuary to capture the stain glass windows. Also in the balcony there is a platform which allows one to take pictures in front of the Rose window. There are endless possibilities for photographs, consider exploring the chapel with your photographer in advance of the wedding.

Decorating Tips:

"Of course finding a way in which to fill the stage is always a decorating challenge. We used at least four topiary trees and two large candelabras. Flowers weren't a huge part of our budget, but we found that the 11' tall candelabras added a perfect touch to the stage. We rented them at a very low price and it was a good use of space." -Kristi (Creswell) Van Dyk '04

"It was difficult to decorate, but we used 6 flower boxes across the front of the stage along with some palms and some large candelabra. We decorated the pew with blue pew scarves." -Jennifer (Folkert) Siehling '05

Wedding Day Advice:

The Chapel is not air conditioned, and can get hot. Fans or water bottles for guests are a nice touch.

Remember that any food or beverages brought into the Chapel must be supplied by Hope College's Creative Dining Services, which can be reached at 616-395-7210.

Any candles used during the ceremony mus be self-contained or dripless. Also, the use of fresh flower petals is not permitted inside the Chapel.

Hope College does not provide any video or sound recording. If you would like a recording of your ceemony, you may hire a professional or ask a friend to film the ceremony.

Consider exploring the chapel to choose picture locations with your
photographer before the wedding.

Choose the time of your wedding carefully; leave ample time on either
end for set-up, clean-up and pictures.